One Nation eyeing first senate seat in South Australia with Jennifer Game leading the party’s ticket

With the Liberals facing problems both at the state and federal levels in SA, it’s “game” on for a wildcard party as it eyes its first SA senate seat.

They broke into the upper house at the 2022 state election, now, One Nation has been touted as a potential wildcard to pick up its first SA senate seat at Saturday’s federal election.

With the major parties expected to win two seats each and the Green’s Sarah Hanson Young likely to retain her spot, YouGov polls suggest One Nation is in contention for SA’s sixth senate seat.

Leading the One Nation senate ticket is Jennifer Game, the mother of SA MLC Sarah Game, with the primary votes from the Spence electorate – encompassing Adelaide’s outer northern suburbs – playing a key role in the outcome.

It’s not just Spence, One Nation is also polling relatively well in Barker, Kingston, Hindmarsh and Grey making it increasingly difficult for the Liberals to garner enough votes for a third senate seat.

One Nation’s Jennifer Game, the mother of SA MLC Sarah Game, is hoping to pick up one of SA’s six senate seats. Picture: Ben Clark

“You can see that the Liberal vote in Spence has dropped dramatically, despite the fact that they’ve spent a fortune out there,” Ms Game said, referencing the latest YouGov polling data.

“They’ve had everybody that they can possibly rustle up stand on Curtis Rd.”

While Ms Game believed issues such as gender fluidity and immigration were key factors boosting One Nation’s primary vote, she also believed the “poor state” of the SA Liberal Party had turned voters away from the Coalition when voting federally.

“The performance in the state by the Liberal Party has been very disappointing, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by people,” Ms Game said.

University of Adelaide emeritus professor in politics Clement Macintyre agreed, saying

the sixth senate seat was in play and that the state Liberal Party was in “a bad way” after former Leader David Speirs left parliament “in disgrace”.

“In normal circumstances, you should be saying the Liberals are probably good for three Senate seats,” Mr Macintyre said.

“But if their primary vote falls because of Dutton’s poor campaign … and because they’ve got serious problems at the state level, it is going to drag their primary vote down and that’s why the Senate race is as interesting as it is.”

Far from a certainty, Mr Macintyre pointed out Rex Patrick was a potential threat to One Nation’s hopes.

But at the polling booth in Spence, it wasn’t difficult to find One Nation voters.

Carly Scaife, 35, from Davoren Park said she was “disappointed” by the performance of both the state Liberal and Labor governments, and that “definitely had an impact” on how she voted.

“You just can’t trust any of them,” she said.

“All they do is talk and talk and nothing ever really comes of it, how can I support that?”

Fifty-seven-year-old Peta Kelty from Munno Para said there needed to be fresh leadership, which was why she supported One Nation.

Richard Rowlett, 73, echoed Ms Kelty’s point, and said how could state and federal governments elect leaders like they have, that don’t think for the everyday Australian.

For Hillbank resident, Roger Goulding, 69, the One Nation Party was “the best of a bad bunch”, “but still better than Anthony Albanese”.

“I tell you the main policies I disagree with: immigration and youth crime,” he said.

“How can I afford anything or anyone afford a house when we’re bringing in millions of people from overseas, it just doesn’t make any sense.”

Salisbury local Lindsay Watson, 73, said he applauded Pauline Hanson for her no nonsense attitude and that was what swayed his vote.

“She says what she’s thinking, she doesn’t pull her punches, which I really appreciate, it’s something we need in Australia right now,” Mr Watson said.

Originally published as One Nation eyeing first senate seat in South Australia with Jennifer Game leading the party’s ticket